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First Flowers: Boreal Forest Spring Buffaloberry
It's been getting warmer here in Western Alberta-- we've got a few days from 20 to 26C/68-78F- though we've also had recent days not much over 10C/50F and nights have been near or below freezing till now (this week forecast mostly above). Native plants are a bit cautious in spring, wisely so. The trees put out catkins early, shrubs and herbaceous plants wait till the soil has warmed a bit more.
Shepherdia canadensis/ Canadian Buffaloberry is one of the very first things to flower after those first trees (Poplars- willows start early also, but there are more species and they go much longer than the Poplars). Flowers are very tiny, but there are lots of them, and they'll lead to bitter delicious berries later on. I
also found the first violets, but it was overcast when I shot the video and it's kinda blah, I'm gonna try to reshoot today if the sun holds!
We are right about at the Cross-quarter Day between Spring Equinox and Summer Solstice. In the Latvian pagan tradition, this marks the beginning of the Time of Flowers-- works for me here, too! My seasonal observances are very much about being out and noting the changes, feeling the beauty of each of the 8 seasonal markers. Now the bees are out and about, the land is beginning to green, have a Blessed Season! And a beautiful autumn to Southern friends!
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By It's been getting warmer here in Western Alberta-- we've got a few days from 20 to 26C/68-78F- though we've also had recent days not much over 10C/50F and nights have been near or below freezing till now (this week forecast mostly above). Native plants are a bit cautious in spring, wisely so. The trees put out catkins early, shrubs and herbaceous plants wait till the soil has warmed a bit more.
Shepherdia canadensis/ Canadian Buffaloberry is one of the very first things to flower after those first trees (Poplars- willows start early also, but there are more species and they go much longer than the Poplars). Flowers are very tiny, but there are lots of them, and they'll lead to bitter delicious berries later on. I
also found the first violets, but it was overcast when I shot the video and it's kinda blah, I'm gonna try to reshoot today if the sun holds!
We are right about at the Cross-quarter Day between Spring Equinox and Summer Solstice. In the Latvian pagan tradition, this marks the beginning of the Time of Flowers-- works for me here, too! My seasonal observances are very much about being out and noting the changes, feeling the beauty of each of the 8 seasonal markers. Now the bees are out and about, the land is beginning to green, have a Blessed Season! And a beautiful autumn to Southern friends!